Pakistan Christian Homes Torched, Churches Attacked After Jailing Girl

[Safriz]

Read! link

Not an appropriate metaphor.....

 

[zip]

How many of them got arrested ?

 

[ishaqzaade]

How many of them got arrested ?

bro no culprits were arrested by state govt.

Islamabad Christians afraid after blasphemy arrest | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

A week after a young Christian girl was arrested on blasphemy charges in a poor suburb of Islamabad, her fellow believers fear they may have celebrated their last service in the area.

Mehrabad, on the outskirts of the Pakistani capital, has been home to a Christian community for 20 years, and less than a year ago Muslims helped them build a simple church.

But last Thursday local Muslims erupted in fury after Rimsha, a young Christian girl who reportedly suffers from Down's Syndrome, was accused of burning pages from a children's religious instruction book containing verses from the Koran.

Neighbours accused her of blasphemy, a grave crime in the Islamic republic, where 97 percent of the population is Muslim and the tiny Christian minority has long suffered poverty and discrimination.

The imam of the local mosque heard of the incident on the same day and led a furious crowd of dozens of Muslims to the girl's family home, witnesses said. Police intervened and took Rimsha, who is aged between 11 and 16, into custody for 14 days on blasphemy charges.

Memories are still fresh of an incident in 2009 in Gojra, also in Punjab province, when young Muslim radicals burned around 40 Christian houses, killing seven, after a rumour that a page from the Koran had been desecrated during a wedding.

Last Thursday's events sent a chill wind of fear through the 500 Christian families who live in Mehrabad, where motorbike tracks furrow the puddle-dotted streets between monochrome concrete houses.

"Some people ran away straight after the incident because they were afraid the Muslims would react like they did in Gojra," said Rafaqet Masih, 42, whose wife and five children fled the area.

There were few indications that tensions were about to erupt in Mehrabad, where barely seven months ago Muslims helped the local Christians build their church, a small nondescript building tucked away in a maze of streets.

Believers were given permission to hold services in the building -- which bears no visible clue that it is a house of worship -- only on Sundays.

But music coming from inside during services began to annoy Muslims praying at the same time, locals said, and a week before the incident involving Rimsha they demanded it be closed.

The Christians have continued to meet but did not hold a service on Sunday to avoid stoking tensions while trying to reach a negotiated solution to the crisis. In the meantime they fear for the future.

"If we can't pray here any more, we'll have to leave the area," Ashraf Masih told AFP at the door of his modest home.

Some Muslims were keen to distance themselves from the fury surrounding Rimsha and demands for the Christians to leave.

The Christians rent their homes -- and the building they use as a church -- from Muslim landlords, who would lose out in the event of an exodus.

"I don't want them to leave," said Mohamed Mehtab Awan, a Muslim who rents around 30 run-down shacks to Christians. Malik Amjad, the owner of Rimsha's family home, agreed.

Rimsha's case has prompted concern from Western governments and anger from rights groups, who say the blasphemy law is abused in personal disputes and should be reformed.

Under the law, insulting the prophet Mohammed is punishable by death and burning a sacred text by life imprisonment, but the government has resisted pressure to change it and religious groups defend it fiercely.

Two leading politicians who spoke out against the law were assassinated last year and the killer of one -- Punjab governor Salman Taseer -- was feted as a hero.

 

[Dubious]

Jahil phir apni jahalat par utter giyea!!!

 

[Mirza Jatt]

really sad...and shameful

 

[Solomon2]

really sad...and shameful

Who feels shame, exactly?

 

[faizahmad]

What is the actual percentage of Christians in pakistan ?

 

[David James]

Very very shameful incidents they are doing this to their own citizens.

Jesus Christ Save Christians; Father God Protect Christians; Holy Spirit Guide us...............Amen

 

[Safriz]

Islam is a religion of peace and love**
**Conditions apply
-A muslim should be given freedom in a non-muslim country
-A non-muslim should obey the law of land in a muslim country
-A muslim can thump their chest and criticize other religion in gatherings
-A non-muslim shouldnt even burn pages of Quran even by mistake
-A muslim can reproduce like rats,but should get govt benefits and reservations
-Muslims can commit ethnic cleansing on non-muslims in their country,or even other sects of muslims
-A peaceful mujahideen could bomb your local market just because 1000s of miles away in a different country,his muslim brothers were attacked
-A non muslim country shouldnt interfere with the laws of a muslim country
Lastly,Muslims have every right to be hypocrites

To us non-Muslims, Islam is what Muslims do. If you want to change the popular perceptions of Muslims and Islam you have to change how you conduct yourselves.

anmd USA/Europe is free and has human rights...
Only when it comes to Muslim rights..

Goths and Punks can wear face nasks and all the piercings they want,and face tatoos...
Muslim women cannot wear Hijab...
Its not ok to insult a dog,and harming a dog is a no no..
But Muslims are regularly insulted...
List goes on..

http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-...st-monks-destroy-muslim-shrine-sri-lanka.html

Pakistan isnt alone

 

[illusion8]

Pakistani Hindu's will eventually emigrate to India, even Pakistani Sikhs whatever small numbers are left can go to India - what about the Christians? where will they go? most of them are poor as well, so might run from one corner of the country to the other until all are cleansed.

 

[David James]

Pakistani Hindu's will eventually emigrate to India, even Pakistani Sikhs whatever small numbers are left can go to India - what about the Christians? where will they go? most of them are poor as well, so might run from one corner of the country to the other until all are cleansed.

They should also come to India as they have Indian forefathers or they can migrate to EU.

 

[illusion8]

They should also come to India as they have Indian forefathers or they can migrate to EU.

Most of them must be poor and living in slums so no idea whether they have the resources to travel to Europe, not very sure if they would want to come to India though.

 

[rohailmalhi]

They should also come to India as they have Indian forefathers or they can migrate to EU.

Should i remind you what happened to christian and other minorities in India. Should need to post the countless news articles where innocent were killed in cold blood their Churches and mosques are burnt while people were inside.

Do i need to remind you other attrocities being commited on minorites in India ?

I am not saying Pakistan is perfect in every sense for every one but I do know that there is very very small group of people who ar responsible for these kind of things. They do all these kind of thing just to bring bad name to Pakistan.

Christian and even Hindus are living with us ,I can tell you of my village where we use to help these guys if they have any problems. People wish them on their celebration and vice versa.There are alot of things and there is not issue what soe ver with the communities.

 

[Areesh]

intolerance is growing in Pakistan, wtf is going on? i hope these mullahs are hanged

Hang for what? It is a minor incident. Not even a single person has died and soon the things would be back to normal.

 

[Bhairava]

Pakistani Hindu's will eventually emigrate to India, even Pakistani Sikhs whatever small numbers are left can go to India - what about the Christians? where will they go? most of them are poor as well, so might run from one corner of the country to the other until all are cleansed.

They can go to West which can offer them asylum and them being Christians will add to their chances.